Employers have role in mitigating stress of daily commute: survey

Staff | October 27, 2017

How long is your daily commute? Thirty minutes? An hour? Two hours? The actual average amount of time Canadians spend getting to and from the workplace is 53 minutes, according to a new survey by staffing firm Robert Half International Inc.

The survey, which looked into the commuting habits of more than 500 Canadian employees, found that commuting time is a key consideration when workers are considering a job offer. It also asked respondents about the stress related to commuting; on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the highest stress level, the average stress level for commuters was a four.

Robert Half also suggested employers could take a number of steps to mitigate the impact of their employees’ commutes, such as offering staggered work schedules that allow the option to work outside of rush hours, telecommuting and adding commuting benefits, such as subsidizing public transportation for employees or sponsoring carpooling.

“With today’s increasingly dispersed workforce, organizations need to be proactive in mitigating the impact that lengthy commutes can have on both employee morale and productivity,” said Greg Scileppi, president of Robert Half, in a news release.

“If commute times are causing stress for employees or hindering performance, managers should consider alternative work arrangements that provide flexibility without compromising daily business obligations.”